Overactive Bladder (OAB) is a group of symptoms, not a disease, that is associated with sudden and frequent urge to urinate. Urinary urge incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine associated with a sudden, overwhelming urge to urinate. The prevalence of urge incontinence in women is thought to be between 20-30%. Although it is less...
The 6-week postpartum doctor’s visit is when women are often “cleared” for activity and are often advised to start slowly and gradually build exercise volume. Running is a popular activity in the postpartum population given the flexibility of scheduling exercise, weight loss and fitness benefits and ability to participate in exercise with your baby (once...
Scientific research, including a Cochrane Review by Dumoulin et al. from 2018 that reviewed the information in 31 research trials, concludes there is grade A or high-quality evidence to support the use of pelvic floor muscle training to treat stress urinary incontinence or the urinary leaking that occurs with cough or a sneeze. There is...
A radical prostatectomy is a common treatment option for prostate cancer in which the prostate is surgically removed. It is well known that following catheter removal after surgery, many men will experience moderate to significant amounts of involuntary urinary loss following surgery that can last from weeks to years. Hunter et al. in 2004 wrote...
In our active Boulder County community, we have observed an increase in the number of women participating in high intensity exercise such as CrossFit. The topic of pelvic health and CrossFit has been under discussion in recent years, prompted by reports of competitive female athletes experiencing urine loss due to stress urinary incontinence during CrossFit...
After talking to many midwives and doulas around Boulder Country and listening to patients’ birth stories, it is clear to me that every labor and delivery is different. No two births are completely alike. While there are some aspects of labor and delivery that you cannot control, here is a list of things you can...
A perineal tear is a tear in the skin or muscle between the vaginal opening and anus that commonly occurs during a vaginal delivery. It is estimated that 85% of women who give birth vaginally will experience a perineal tear to some degree (Smith et al. 2013). Just like other muscle tears in the body,...
If you’ve ever experienced the sharp, nagging discomfort of tailbone pain, you know how it can overshadow even the simplest daily activities. From sitting at your desk at work to walking up and down the aisles at the grocery store, every movement can be a reminder of the pain. Thankfully, there are steps you can...
Many clients I work with, particularly in the greater Boulder Area who are active and fit prior to pregnancy, want to know what types of exercise and intensity is appropriate to continue during pregnancy. First, it is always important to check with your OB/Midwife to make sure you are safe to continue or change your...
Do you experience urinary leaking with jumping jacks, double-unders, box jumps or while jumping on the trampoline? Maybe you’re avoiding jumping altogether for fear of leaking or pelvic heaviness. Jumping is a great exercise as it helps build muscle strength and power, while challenging the cardiovascular system. It requires coordination, agility, and can be beneficial...
